What is MAGI?

The Mahtomedi Area Green Initiative is a volunteer organization working to reduce the use of nonrenewable resources, produce renewable energy and encourage an enduring community commitment to sustainability. We are currently at work in Dellwood, Grant, Hugo, Lake Elmo, Mahtomedi, Oakdale, Pine Springs, White Bear Lake and Willernie in Minnesota.

There’s been a lot of buzz about bees in the news lately. New studies are increasing our understanding of the huge importance of bees and other pollinators in providing the food we eat and in contributing to a healthy ecosystem. At the same time, there’s growing concern about declining populations of bees due to pesticide use, habitat destruction and other human activities

The good news? There’s LOTS we can do to help bees thrive and continue to provide the important services they do! In a presentation to the Mahtomedi Garden Club last month, Patricia Hauser, founder of Humming for Bees, provided a list of “bee-friendly” tips. Among them:

Be informed. Learn about the importance of bees and the challenges they face in our community at Humming for Bees.

Inform others. Invite people over to watch a bee video with you! Talk about it after viewing.

Support the Saving Americaʼs Pollinators Act (HR 2692) by CALLING &/or writing YOUR national House of Representative in Washington DC and asking her/him to sign on as a co-sponsor and support this bill!

Support any bee-friendly bills that come up in the Minnesota House or Senate this coming legislative season.

Write & call your mayor and each city council member and ask for your city to support ALL pollinators including the BEES that feed us—by educating the citizens as to their importance, their needs and the problems theyʼre facing. Ask them to pass an ordinance or at least a resolution to help them. Encourage them to call Shorewood mayor Scott Zerby, for ideas.